Peforming arts left behind in Portsmouth school budget

PORTSMOUTH — Participation in the performing arts in city schools has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, but that success has come at a price.

Joey Cresta

PORTSMOUTH — Participation in the performing arts in city schools has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, but that success has come at a price.

Performing arts department head Steve Cirillo recently warned the School Board that years of neglecting the needs of the district's musical and dramatic offerings would soon have a negative effect on those programs.

While the school department's overall budget has grown by $13 million over the past decade — from $26.8 million in 2003-04 to $39.8 million this year — Cirillo said the sum allotted for performing arts operations has remained flat.

Cirillo said his operating budget has gone from $68,103 in 2005-06 to $68,991 today. The figure represents funding for things like supplies and transportation, and does not include teacher salaries. Over the same time period, two full-time teacher positions and a department secretary were eliminated, he said.

He has suggested providing more stipends to improve student-teacher ratios for the district's bands and ensembles.

After years of tight budgets, new marching band instruments are now long overdue, Cirillo said. He told the School Board the performing arts could use an infusion of $100,000 or more for new instruments, though he reiterated this week he does not expect that amount any time soon.

"If we don't start putting money toward the equipment, then we're not going to be able to operate the programs that we have right now," he said. "We won't be able to put a marching band out on the field."

But marching band instruments are a major expense, costing thousands of dollars apiece. Students rent their own concert instruments when they first enter the music program, Cirillo said, but marching band is a different animal. No student has his or her own marching snare drum or sousaphone, for example.

"Running a marching band is a huge expense," he said. "A kid doesn't own a marching snare drum. A kid doesn't own a set of chimes."

Some of the district's marching band instruments are 15 to 30 years old, and while they have been cared for and reconditioned, some are worn out beyond repair, Cirillo said.

"Our district has 10 or so French horns," he said. "Some are in the scrap pile right now because they can't be fixed."

Compounding the issue is the fact the performing arts have seen a surge in popularity in recent years. The marching band, with 128 members, is larger than it has been at any time in Cirillo's 26 years in Portsmouth. More members means more instruments, more uniforms and higher transportation costs.

The growth represents a recovery from the leanest of years when the introduction of block scheduling "decimated the program," Cirillo said. Because of the nature of the block scheduling, students were locked out of certain classes, and the band "went to almost nothing in two years," he said.

Modifying the schedule after those initial hiccups provided students greater access to electives, though those offerings have dropped over the years as well. One of the things Cirillo has advocated for is bringing back a drama teacher on a part-time basis. A decade ago, he said, the high school had a full-time drama teacher.

"We know we have the interest, (but) we don't have the offerings right now," he said.

Cirillo said the performing arts boosters have stepped up and done whatever they can to infuse money into the program in recent years. But a large portion of their fundraising goes to support scholarships to increase student access to music.

Lori Lampert, president of the Parents Music Club, said the boosters are trying to get creative and find more ways to support the programming, but are somewhat limited in what they can do. It was suggested at the School Board meeting that charging admission to school-produced concerts could provide the department with more resources, but Lampert said school policy prohibits such an entry fee. Lampert said this year's Chocolate Festival at the high school raised $3,000 to $4,000, but the funds were used for scholarships instead of performing arts budgetary expenses. "A lot of kids wouldn't be able to do it if they didn't have the help," she said.

There is potential that the Parents Music Club could increase its fundraising efforts if more parents get involved. Lampert said she was encouraged by the large attendance at a recent social gathering of parents hosted by the boosters. "A lot of people weren't aware of the Parents Music Club," she said.

Those running for School Board this year agreed the performing arts are an important part of a public school education, and that funding is an issue worthy of serious discussion during next year's budget talks. Difficult decisions lie ahead.

"I would like to be able to say 'yes' to departments when they request new or better tools to do their job well, whether those tools are textbooks, computers, art supplies, gym equipment, calculators or band instruments," School Board Chairwoman Leslie Stevens said. "We should be systematically looking at each department and determining what that department can and should be offering. From there, we begin to fill gaps when and where we can, and prioritize the needs of that department."

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